A Force Field Analysis is a decision-making tool used to assess the importance, impact, and influence of various factors on proposed changes in business processes. It helps identify and evaluate the driving forces and restraining forces associated with a solution.
Force Field Analysis allows BAs to make structured recommendations on how to strengthen the forces for change and weaken the forces against change. This recommendation helps to decide whether or not to implement the proposed change and how to make the implementation successful.
You can apply Force Field Analysis in Organizational Development, Change Management, Process Management, and Strategic Planning. Force Field Analysis helps visualize the forces at play, allowing for consensus-building and collective decision-making.
Here are the steps to perform Force Field Analysis:
- Define the objectives and goals of the proposed change.
- Brainstorm and list the factors that can positively push you toward your ideal situation or support the change (driving forces).
- Brainstorm and list the factors that impede you from reaching your ideal situation or resisting the change (restraining forces).
- Assess the relative strength and impact of each driving and restraining force. Prioritize the driving forces that the organization can strengthen and identify the most powerful restraints that the implementation team will mitigate.
- Based on the evaluation, make recommendations to either strengthen the driving forces or weaken the restraining forces.
- Use the recommendations as a well-grounded basis for deciding whether or not to implement the proposed change.
Check out free draw.io template for Force Field Analysis at my Github.